Prior to 2018, the fifth district was located in north central Pennsylvania and was the largest in area, and least densely populated, of all of Pennsylvania's congressional districts. It was Republican-leaning and represented by Glenn Thompson (R). However, in February 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew this district after ruling the previous congressional district map unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering, assigning its number to a more left-leaning district in southeastern Pennsylvania for the 2018 elections and representation thereafter–essentially, a successor to the old seventh district. Most of Thompson's territory became a new, heavily Republican 15th District.[3] He was re-elected there.

The 5th district is mostly suburban and some urban areas. The entirety of Delaware County is within the district and is a suburban area. The surrounding northern Montgomery District is also mostly suburban, while the South Philadelphia area in the district is mostly urban.
The district is around 700,000 citizens. Consisting of 89% white, 5% Black, 4% Asian, and 3% Hispanic. [5]